


In Which Natasha Has to Get Clint. Again. (And the Avengers prove that they ARE a good team, thank you very much.)

by megster



Series: The Further Adventures of the Avengers (and Phil Coulson) [1]
Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-08
Updated: 2012-06-16
Packaged: 2017-11-07 06:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megster/pseuds/megster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint gets himself kidnapped (by Loki, no less) and a very angry set of superheroes set out to rescue him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Loki Kidnaps Clint and the Avengers Get Angry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint mysteriously disappears, and the Avengers get appropriately pissed when they find out Loki is behind it all.

Above all else, Natasha believes in keeping up appearances. 

So when Director Fury comes by Stark Tower and tells them that Clint has been missing for two weeks while on a mission (and has not attempted to contact S.H.I.E.L.D.), Natasha's eyes don't even flicker. 

For one thing, Clint has gone missing for much longer before. Sometimes it is necessary that he disappears for a while. 

For another, she does not fully trust Nick Fury. Nick Fury is a strong leader and a (mostly) good man, but he is manipulative. He has been known to fake people's deaths before. She will check with Tony before she decides what to do. Tony has hacked into the S.H.I.E.L.D. database so often now that Fury has stopped trying to prevent him from doing so.

One thing does concern her. Clint, even when he "disappears," always gives the Avengers a heads up. And even when he keeps it from the rest of the Avengers, he always finds a way to keep in contact with Natasha. It is easier this way for both of them.

And she has not heard from Clint in exactly 18 days. 

But Natasha only nods when Fury tells the Avengers about Clint. She gives nothing away when he warns them all not to get involved without S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s permission. The others all glance at her when he does. Steve, always an open book, looks at her with his understanding eyes with slight worry. Tony doesn't seem as concerned, but his sharp eyes seem to pierce through her. Bruce is calm as always, but there is tension simmering under the surface. Thor actually opens his mouth to speak but a glare from Tasha stops him.

After all, she must keep up appearances.

In any case, she does not want them to worry about her. She can handle herself without any help. And anyway, why do they assume that she will be the one worst worried?

Admittedly, Clint is her partner in arms and the closest thing to a friend that she has. (She would say closest thing to a lover, but she has had many before and will have many after.) He is the one that understands her best, the one that understands when she needs to spar furiously until she can no longer think, the one that will calmly sit beside her in silence without questions as she regains control over herself after difficult missions.

So perhaps she is worried. But the others don’t need to know how worried she is. The Black Widow does not worry for anyone but herself. And she will keep up appearances.

She does need Tony’s help though. And oddly enough, she doesn’t mind asking him. Tony is a good man to have on your side. He is flippant and sarcastic and cynical. A seemingly self-absorbed bastard, but he also has a bigger heart than he knows what to do with. And he knows how to be discreet.

And late that night, before she can talk herself out of it, she stalks into Tony’s lab.

“I am working, Banner. What do you want now?” he snaps without turning around. He is bent over something metallic with instruments that Natasha has never even seen before.

“It’s me,” Natasha says.

And Tony slowly straightens. He looks over his shoulder at her. “Fury get in your head after all?”

She narrows her eyes. “I just want to make sure.”

Tony, to his credit, doesn’t make any crude remarks. He studies her for a moment, then says, “J.A.R.V.I.S. Go to the S.H.I.E.L.D. database and find me the latest records of Agent Clint Barton.”

“Yes, sir.” says a disembodied voice.

Natasha is not surprised when J.A.R.V.I.S. cannot tell her the current whereabouts of Clint. Disappointed, but not surprised. Fury was telling the truth then.

She thanks Tony (and J.A.R.V.I.S.) and turns away, walking out of the lab. Away from Tony. Pretending not to see the look in his steely eyes.

As soon as Natasha leaves the room, Tony speaks to J.A.R.V.I.S. “Monitor Natasha Romanov. Let me know when she leaves the building. Let me know immediately. And where is Bruce?”

 

****************************************

 

Tony hadn’t been worried before.

He is worried now. Whether intentionally or not, Natasha has set all of his senses on edge. He is a naturally suspicious person (Pepper often has to remind him to at least pretend to trust people), and now he wonders where Clint is.

Because J.A.R.V.I.S. omitted a crucial piece of information when Natasha was in the lab.

Clint had successfully completed his mission. He had boarded the flight back to America.

Somewhere between the location of his mission (classified information) and Washington D.C., where the plane landed, Clint had vanished.

People are not supposed to vanish during transatlantic flights. Particularly when the plane that they are on makes it to the planned destination.

Understandably, Tony is nervous.

Memories of his own capture and subsequent imprisonment still keep him up on some nights. He wouldn’t wish it on anybody (well, maybe a few people), but especially not on a friend and fellow Avenger.

He says, “J.A.R.V.I.S., please ask Steve to come see me.”

J.A.R.V.I.S. promptly replies, “Steve Rogers is currently sleeping.”

“Then wake him up. Please.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you for being polite.”

Moments later, a drowsy Steve is standing in front of Tony.

Tony has to fight back a smirk at Steve’s disheveled hair and slight scowl. Sometimes he forgets that some people actually sleep at night.

When he begins to explain, though, Steve’s demeanor changes. His stance goes from relaxed to something approaching tension. And he runs his hand through his hair- something he does only when he is thinking hard or extremely concerned.

While Tony isn’t sure that this is yet a cause for extreme concern, he isn’t sure that it isn’t yet either.

At some point, Bruce comes into the lab. (“Tony, you talk loudly. I was asleep in the side room.”)

He asks a few questions (“What do you mean he disappeared? Did he actually get onto the plane? Do we have footage?”). Two of those questions can be easily answered, and Tony immediately gets to work.

He wonders a little absentmindedly if Thor can do some god-magic and find Clint, but Thor has been visiting Jane for the past few months and they aren’t sure when he’ll be back. The important thing is that whenever they need him, he shows up.

So Tony doesn’t waste any more time thinking about Thor. If they need him, the god will come. And he trusts in that.

Presently, with a little help from J.A.R.V.I.S. and some persistence (and ingenuity, if Tony does say so himself), they have access to all footage from both Jomo Kenyatta International and Ronald Reagan Washington National.

Tony shares a look with Bruce and Steve. Then Tony pulls up some screens and they each choose a time period and begin watching. J.A.R.V.I.S. begins running profile recognition software.

Ironically, Clint would have been far better at this than any of them.

Tony actually nearly asks J.A.R.V.I.S. to get Clint before he remembers what they’re doing.

After several hours of viewing, Tony realizes they need help, even with J.A.R.V.I.S. running a scan. His own eyes are beginning to swim, and he is used to staring at computer screens for extended periods of time. He can’t imagine that Bruce and Steve are doing much better.

Natasha’s eyes are sharp and practiced at picking out targets. But he honestly isn’t sure he wants to involve her.

He trusts her with his life when they are battling a common enemy and have a common goal. Hell, he trusts her with his life most times.

The fact remains, though, that Natasha is unpredictable. He never knows what she is thinking and only rarely can guess what she will do. She makes him nervous.

The others, Steve and Bruce (and Thor), he can practically map out their courses of action in nearly any scenario.

Steve is steady and dependable. And determined. He will find Clint if he has to watch grainy videos for days. He rarely acts without weighing possible outcomes, and while this occasionally irritates Tony, who is more an act-spontaneously-and-deal-with-consequences-later sort of guy, Steve is exactly the sort of point man the Avengers need. And Tony knows it.

Bruce is perhaps the quietest of all of them. He isn’t much of a talker under regular circumstances, but he rarely talks when he is working on anything. The more focused he is, the quieter he gets. And right now, he is completely silent. Bruce is just as brilliant as Tony is, but less flamboyant. And very methodical. Tony knows better than to interrupt him when he is working.

Determined and methodical may be well enough, but there is no point in wasting Natasha’s skill. Tony makes a decision and rises as quietly as he can, pausing his own screen.

Bruce doesn’t even react to Tony leaving the room, although Tony is sure that he noticed. Bruce notices everything.

Steve pauses his video, asking Tony if he wants company.

Tony agrees. (Mostly because Natasha scares him.)

He and Steve leave the lab together.

Natasha isn’t in her room. Tony is briefly puzzled, then realizes that she has to be in the building.

No one, not even Natasha, has ever been able to disable J.A.R.V.I.S.’s security system.

Sure enough, they find her grimly suiting up in the archery range on the eleventh floor- Clint’s floor. She barely even spares them a glance. “Don’t try and stop me,” she says, and Tony can practically hear the venom dripping from her voice. He nearly takes a step back.

Natasha is scary.

Luckily, Steve is not so intimidated by Natasha (or maybe he just hides it better) and he says simply, “We’re not trying to. But maybe we can help.”

 

****************************************

 

When Clint begins to wake up (slowly and painfully), with his hands cuffed together and to the wall he knows at once that he’s been compromised. And by the dull headache pressing against his temples, drugged. There is nothing he hates more than not being in full control of himself, so he has to fight back some panic.

But he is Clint Barton, and more importantly, he is Hawkeye. And Hawkeye does not panic.

Until a tall figure with dark hair and _is that a scepter_ steps into his field of vision. Clint’s stomach sinks and he is overcome by a sudden feeling of terror.

And when that oh-so-smooth voice says, “Miss me?” Clint knows that he cannot handle this oh please god this can’t be happening because Loki was _defeated_ they sent him back in chains to Asgard and there is no way that this is actually happening.

Loki is practically purring when he says, “They will come after you, of course. And I will destroy them. But first I will destroy you.”

Clint has never wanted anything so desperately as he wants Natasha right now. And he has never wanted anything so desperately as he doesn’t want Natasha (or any of them) to show up and walk into Loki’s clutches because he is not that selfish.

But then Loki touches the tip of that horrible scepter to his head- and that’s another thing, didn’t Fury _keep_ the damned scepter- and his entire body explodes with pain.

For the love of god, _everything_ hurts and Clint is used to being hurt he’s been beaten before and he’s fallen off of buildings and he’s taken bullets in nearly every area of his body and he’s had cracked ribs but nothing, _nothing_ has ever hurt as badly as this and fuck being selfless, just _fuck_ it he wants Natasha with her cold eyes and perfect hair and he wants a giant fucking green rage monster and Captain fucking America and he wants Thor with his fucking magic hammer and god damn he wants fucking Tony Stark in his suit to come save his sorry ass and fuck fuck _fuck_.

 

****************************************

 

“So he definitely made it onto the plane.” Tony sounds frustrated.

Frankly, Natasha doesn’t blame him. It doesn’t make any sense if he definitely made it onto the plane. At least if he had been snatched at either airport it would have made sense. She would have had some sort of lead.

But she doesn’t. All she has is, well, yeah, Iron Man and Captain America and Bruce Banner, and yeah, the Hulk if he’s needed. The point is, though, she doesn’t have Hawkeye.

Bruce says suddenly, “I had an idea, and I’m tracking traces of radiation during the flight and right over here,” he indicates a point on the screen over the ocean, “there’s a sudden flare. Like, too much to be natural. Way too much.”

Tony is immediately at his side. “Yes. Okay. Good. That’s good. A spike in radiation. That’s irregular and pretty random and that’s what we need. God, that is an odd signature. I think I’ve seen that before. It is definitely familiar. It is so familiar. It is on the tip of my tongue-”

Steve reaches over and puts a hand on Tony’s knee. “You’re babbling again,” he says.

Tony shuts up, but looks distressed, nearly manic as he tries to figure out what he’s missing, Bruce muttering quietly to the other man.

It’s then that there is a sudden flash of lightning and a deafening clap of thunder and Thor crashes through a window (Tony is really beginning to wish that Thor would try to use _doors_ ) and is standing in their midst.

“Friends,” he booms, “I regret to inform you that my brother has escaped from the prison my father devised for him,” at the same time that Steve says, “Thank God, Thor, we were wondering when you would show, Clint’s been abducted.”

The silence that ensues lasts for a few seconds as they all let the information sink in.

Natasha feels a little unsteady, though she doesn’t let the others see. And she feels like cursing.

Voice small, Tony says, “I remember the signature now. It was from Loki’s scepter.”

Bruce, surprisingly, is the one to speak for all of them. “Fuck,” he says, cradling his head in his hands.

To the Avengers’ credit, they allow themselves to wallow in horror for less than ten seconds before Steve snarls, “Avengers, assemble,” because _nobody_ , not even a trickster god from another world, messes with one of their own and gets away with it.

Natasha feels a sense of relief as everyone springs into action, while Thor waits nervously for them to get ready, switching Mjolnir from hand to hand. She herself is already dressed for a mission and so she just watches everyone settle into the familiar movements of preparing for a fight.

Steve is controlled, as always, as he puts on his Captain America suit. But there is a tautness to his shoulders and a smoldering fury in his eyes that Natasha is a little surprised to see.

And when she looks over at Bruce, she sees that he is fighting back rage with his eyes closed and sitting with his back pressed against a wall. Breathing deeply and staying calm.

Tony, bless him, stalking to put on his armor with a savage sort of glee, brown eyes wild and furious. And concerned. For Clint.

She shouldn’t be so pleased about this, but she is. She’s pleased that Clint has found people who care about him and will go rescue his sorry ass. She’s pleased that they genuinely like him (most of the time) and that she isn’t the only one watching his back.

Probably most of all, she’s pleased that she has arguably the most destructive group of people _ever_ (seriously, no one is more destructive than the Hulk, although Tony gives him a run for his money) with her as she goes and gets Clint. Again.

Because there is no mistake about it. She is going to get Clint if it is the last thing she ever does. Because he is at the top of a _very_ short list of people that she trusts without reservations. And she will not let him down.


	2. The Avengers Get Going and Phil Coulson Gets Involved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers pile into the Quinjet. Phil Coulson disobeys a direct order and recruits Magneto to lend them a hand.

Agent Phil Coulson, for the first time in the history of his employment at S.H.I.E.L.D., is visibly upset. 

Of course, for Phil, _visibly upset_ means that he’s sort of frowning. And is admittedly a little flushed. “Director Fury,” he says, and his voice shakes a little. “I put Agent Barton in that situation. I was _aware_ that Loki had escaped, and I didn’t warn him, didn’t send anyone for back up. I can not just _wait_ for Loki to give him back when he’s done with him.”

“Coulson,” Fury says. “I said _stand down_. When I say stand down, I _mean_ fucking stand down.”

Phil is, to be fair, generally very good at taking orders. Except when it comes to the safety of his team. And then occasionally, he just figures _“Fuck it_.”

This is one of those times.

So Phil lets a bland look slide over his face.

Fury narrows his eye at him. “Agent Coulson, you _will_ not act on this.”

Phil says blankly, “Yes, sir.”

For only the second time in his career, Agent Philip J. Coulson disobeys a direct order from Nick Fury.

As soon as he leaves Fury’s office, Phil walks out to his car.

He has a hunch that Natasha and the others will have mobilized by now; patience has never been Tony Stark’s strong suit. They’ll get to Clint soon enough.

With Loki, though, the Avengers may need help.

And Phil has an idea. And a phone call to make.

Fury will definitely have his head for this, but then again, maybe not. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is no idiot, and even if S.H.I.E.L.D. has a no-negotiation policy, it does not have a no-rescue policy. And Fury hadn’t tried very hard to stop Phil from leaving his office.

He dials the number, and waits. It’s a risk, but a calculated one. He thinks that Erik Lehnsherr just may hate Loki enough to help them out on this one. Anyway, Lehnsherr owes him a favor.

_Hello?_ The voice on the line is cautious, a little hostile.

“Is this Erik Lehnsherr?” Phil asks, even though he knows it is.

_How did you get this number?_ Lehnsherr’s voice is louder, demanding.

Phil ignores the question and says, “This is Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. Mr. Lehnsherr, I seem to recall that you owe me a favor.”

_Within reason_ , Lehnsherr says.

“I don’t think you’ll mind lending me a hand here,” Phil says. 

_I’ll be the judge of that._

“I want to take down Loki,” Phil says coldly. “He has one of my agents, and I want him back. I understand that you and Loki have not... agreed in the past.”

There is a moment of silence, and then Lehnsherr says, _Agent Coulson, you are correct. I do not like men who take away others’ choices. I will assist you in this. And all debts between you and I will be paid._

“Yes,” Phil says. “Wait for my call. I assume Azazel is still with you.”

Lehnsherr hangs up.

Phil allows himself a small smile. Fury is going to _kill_ him. But if getting Clint back means he has to fraternize with people with less-than-noble intentions, he will do it. Every time.

He calls Natasha. When Magneto comes on the scene, he doesn’t need the Avengers attacking the man.

****************************************

They’re all on the Quinjet, headed to a goddamn tiny town in _Maine_ for fuck’s sake.

Natasha is tense, not that she’s letting the others know that. She keeps her posture deliberately relaxed, making sure to give off a I’m-really-not-all-that-concerned vibe.

She doubts she’s fooling any of the others.

It’s silent in the cabin when her phone beeps, and she nearly jumps. Bruce actually does jump a little.

She checks the number, and answers immediately. “Agent Romanov.”

_Where are they?_ Phil gets straight to business.

“Maine,” she says. She doesn’t bother asking him what he’s up to. Whatever it is, it will be helpful. “There’s a top-clearance laboratory just off the coast. Four miles west of Winter Harbor. We’re...” She pauses. “Hang on.” 

She stands, waves away the questioning glances from the team, and pokes her head inside the cockpit. “Tony,” she says. “How far are we?”

“Forty miles out,” he says. “We’ll be there _very_ soon.”

“Thanks,” she tells him, going back to the main cabin. Then to Phil, “Forty miles out and closing in fast.”

_Okay,_ he says. _I’m going to send some help your way. Just refresh my memory though. Loki’s scepter? Definitely made of metal, right?_

“Yes,” Natasha says. “Definitely.”

_Helmet too?_

“Helmet too,” Natasha affirms.

Phil hangs up.

Natasha looks around at the others. “We may have company,” she says.

“From _who_?” Steve, understandably, looks a little puzzled.

“I think Magneto,” she admits.

“ _Fuck_. I _hate_ that guy,” comes Tony’s voice.

Steve winces a little. 

Natasha remembers their last encounter with Magneto (Tony had been rendered absolutely useless, Thor’s helmet had crumpled, almost killing the god, and Steve’s shield had wreaked havoc, taking out Clint and Natasha before the Hulk jumped on top of it) and has to admit that there’s a _reason_ that Magneto should not be taken lightly.

But she’s with Coulson. Whatever it takes to get Clint, she’ll do it.

She doesn’t say as much to the others, but maybe they see the steel in her eyes when she says, “He’s on our side this time.”

They don’t argue, although Steve still looks unsure.

Bruce says, “Will his powers work on Loki’s things? They didn’t work on Mjolnir.”

This is true, and Natasha glances anxiously at Thor. 

Thor shakes his head. “His powers will work. Mjolnir is a special case, and blessed by Odin Allfather. Mjolnir cannot be lifted by one unworthy of it. Loki’s scepter is powerful, but it can be manipulated. And there is nothing special about the helmet. I think you remember well what happened to my own helmet when we last battled the Master of Metal.”

She sits back down, reassured, and looks after her guns, making sure they’re in top condition. They are, of course. It makes her feel better, though, to do something with her hands, so she cleans them (again) and waits for them to land.

****************************************

It’s definitely been more than a week, although somewhere along the eighth or ninth day he actually lost track. He thinks it’s been thirteen days since Loki snatched him off of his flight. Maybe fourteen. It’s hard to know for certain, because the room he’s in has no windows and is _always_ too bright.

All he knows for certain is that it’s been too fucking long. 

He’s tired and his arms are still cuffed, but now he’s strapped down to a table, and he hurts _everywhere_ , and God knows what drugs are coursing through his bloodstream right now, because Loki keeps coming in and plunging syringes into his neck. The results vary.

Sometimes it just makes him dizzy for a while, makes him feel like throwing up. He never does, because he has better control over his body than that.

Other times, whatever is in the syringe makes him feel _every fucking nerve ending_ on his body, and anything touching him makes him want to scream. He doesn’t scream, but does occasionally curse under his breath.

Anyway, the times that Loki sticks a needle into him, those are the good times.

The bad times are when Loki comes in with that goddamn scepter and starts talking, and makes him believe that everyone he knows and loves is dead. That Natasha and Phil are dead, his arrows in their throats. Loki tells him that the Avengers are all dead, that they died trying to save him, and now nobody will come to him. 

Clint knows better, he really fucking does. But when Loki is talking, he can’t help but _believe_ the god, and it _hurts_. It hurts to imagine his life without Natasha kicking his ass when they spar, without Phil dryly reprimanding him without really meaning it. Without Tony and his snark wars and Steve with his warm and sincere smile. Without going out drinking with Thor, without Bruce gently and efficiently dealing with whatever injuries he collected on missions.

He knows better. But with Loki in the room, he believes, and even when Loki leaves, it takes him _hours_ to come back to himself and realize that none of it is true. The panic subsides, and he remembers that they’re all fine, and hopefully they’re coming to fucking get rid of Loki once and for all.

It does make him wonder, though, when he started to count the Avengers as friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so Phil wasn't supposed to be in this story at all, and then something happened to my brain and I wrote him in, because, well, he's Agent Phil Coulson, and Agent Phil Coulson does not sit on the sidelines when one of his agents is in trouble.
> 
> I love Phil.
> 
> Also, I am very sorry that the chapter is short. I've been a tad preoccupied with the next story in the series. (All the stories in this series work fine as stand-alone works and are entirely unrelated to each other, plot-wise.)


End file.
